The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-04-30
LEGENDS ABOUT COWS.
Folklore Current Among the Peasants in
Various Parts Of Europe.

Various Parts OF Europe.
In Swabia and Switzerland the cows
are MIXED through n perforated stone
which is believed to have fallen from
the clouds, and is therefore called
"cowstonc." In speaking Of ''bloody
milk" we may note here that this is
supposed to be the result no. only ot
witchcraft, but Of quito different
cause. Thus, in Yorkshire and SOME
p arts Of Germany, II robin is killed 1t
is supposed that one of the cows belong
ing to the person or to the family Of the.
person who killed 1t will give "bloody,
milk" The accuracy and truth of the
following curious circumstance is al
legged to have recently been vouched
for: A young woman, who had been
living as servant in farmhouse, one
day told her relatives how the cow
which had belonged to her master had
given bloody milk, after one of the fam
lily had killed robin. A male cousin
of hers, disbelieving the tale, went out
and shot a robin purposely. Next MORN
ing her uncle's best COW, healthy one
Of thirteen years, that had borne nie
calves without mishap, gave half a
canful Of this bloody milk, and did
SO for three days in succession, morning
and evening. The liquid was of a pink
color, which, after standing in the can,
became clearer, and when poured out
the "blood," or the deep red something
like it, was seen to have settled to the
bottom. The young man who shot the
robin MIXED the cow himself on the
second morning, he being still incredu-
lous. The farmer was sent for, and the
matter furnished talk to the whole vii.
lage. Formerly at Walton-le-dale, En-
gland, if farmer killed swallow it
was believed that his cows would yield
blood instead of milk. This supersti-
ton is also prevalent in the greater
part of Switzerland. On this account
few ike to kill OF even injure robin
fedbreast.
Like the horse, the COW enters into
fairy lore. According to legend cur
rent in Carmarthenshire, Wales, there
was in days gone by band of elfin
ladies, who used to haunt lake in the
the neighborhood of Abcrdovey.. They
usually appeared at dusk. clad in green,
accompanied by their milk-whitc
hounds and their droves of beautiful
white cows. One day an old farmer
had the good luck to catch one of these
mystic animals. 1t had fallen in love
with the cattle of his herd. From that
day the farmers fortune was made.
Such calves, such milk, such butter and
such cheese that came from the milk
white cow had never been seen in
Wales before. The farmer accordingly
Don became rich and the owner of vast
herds. One day, however, he took it
into his head that the eltin COW was
growing old and that he had better fat
ten her for the market. On the day ap-
pointed for the slaughter people came
from great distances to see the wonder
full animal; and as the butchers blud-
geon was severing its head from its
body fearful shrek resounded through
the air, and the astonished assembly be-
held green lady, crying with a loud
voice:
"Come, yellow anvil, stray horns.
Speckled one of the lake,
And OF the hornless Dodin,
Arise, come hOme!"
Whereupon not only did the elfin COY,
arise and go home, hut all her progeny
went with her, disappearing in the air
over the hill tops. Only one COW re-
mained of all the farmers herds, and,
10! she had turned from milky-white to
raven black, The farmer, in fit of
despair, drowned himself. and the black
cow became the progenitor of the ex-
isting race of Welsh black cattle. (Wirt
Skies British Goblins, 1879, page 37.)
A similar story exists in Ireland
called 1.-The Legend of Lough Cur" 1t
seems that a certain farmer had some
meadow land by the water side; but, in
spite of all his efforts, the grass was al
ways destroyed. Driven at last to des-
pera ton, he consulted one of his friends,
who advised him to watch his land by
nighttime, in the chance of discovering
his secret enemy. Accordingly the
farmer, with his friend and his two sons,
one moonlight night silently watched
at corner of the meadoY. They had
not waited long when, moving on the sur
face of the lake toward the meadow, they
saw great fat cow followed by seven
milk white heifers. On giving chase
to these the COW suddenly disappeared
in the lake, but the seven heifers were
successfully driven up from the water
side. The farmer took possession of
these; but one night the gate of the
field being left open. they disappeared.
and it was generally supposed that they
had made their way into the lake again.
There is lake in County Tipperary
called 1.-The Lake of the Cow" from
a legend somewhat similar to that of
L9ugh Cur. The horns of the COW are
said to be so long that, when the water
is low, the tips Of them may be plainly
seen above it. Although. too, the popu-
lar song informs us that the Lake of
Blarney is
"Stored with perches,
And comcly eels in the verdant mud,
Besides good leeches and groves OF beeches
All ranged in order for to guard the food"
yet out of this lake two cows have been
seen to proceed, which are known, ac-
cording to Crooker's Fairy Legends of
the south of Ireland, to have committed
considerable damage in the adjacent
meadoW-lands' and corn fields, o.